Secret Santa gift exchange! discussion

Having an issue with something? Post it here.

Oh- and don't forget to sign up at out Elfster site!

http://www.elfster.com/exchange/view/...

I tried, and it's telling me access denied.

MLE wrote: "I tried, and it's telling me access denied."

What about this link?
http://www.elfster.com/exchange/view/...

Heather K (dentist in my spare time) wrote: "MLE wrote: "I tried, and it's telling me access denied."

What about this link?
http://www.elfster.com/exchange/view/..."

Perfect. Thank you.

Hi Heather, Is the site completely anonymous? In other words, would the giver and recipient have access to each other's personal information, such as their mailing address, real name, email, etc.? Sounds like so much fun, and I want to participate; but I'm not comfortable with giving my personal data out to someone I have never met in-person. I looked at the site, but couldn't find a direct answer to my question.

Thanks for the invite, Heather! This looks like a lot of fun! I have a question before I register - is it for US only? I live in London...

finecat wrote: "Hi Heather, Is the site completely anonymous? In other words, would the giver and recipient have access to each other's personal information, such as their mailing address, real name, email, etc.? ..."

You don't have to give out any personal information. As long as you have an email address with which to send ebook gifts, you're good! You can make up an email just for the occasion.

Teodora wrote: "Thanks for the invite, Heather! This looks like a lot of fun! I have a question before I register - is it for US only? I live in London..."

Nope, not US only! But you should specify that with your elfster wishlist. It matters with Amazon but not with some other sites. My Secret Santa was not from the US last year.

Heather K (dentist in my spare time) wrote: "finecat wrote: "Hi Heather, Is the site completely anonymous? In other words, would the giver and recipient have access to each other's personal information, such as their mailing address, real nam..."

I don't put my mailing address or anything. I don't want physical gifts, and most people don't. In fact, we encourage ebook gifts.

Hi! I am interested in all things shopping but I live in Jamaica. How does this work exactly?

Demoria wrote: "Hi! I am interested in all things shopping but I live in Jamaica. How does this work exactly?"

You put things you want on a wishlist on Elfster, via the link above, then someone gets you in an exchange and sends you gifts and you get someone and send them gifts. Usually, with people from other countries, AllRomance or publishers work. Someone can gift you a book from ARe or a publisher. The country difference should be fine.

Thanks, Heather :) I'll look into it a bit more. Seems like we would have to, at least, provide an email address, correct?

finecat wrote: "Thanks, Heather :) I'll look into it a bit more. Seems like we would have to, at least, provide an email address, correct?"

Yes, you do, or else no one would be able to get a gift to you! :)

Here is my profile on Elfster in case anyone is wondering
http://www.elfster.com/profile/view/9...

Heather - Lol, that's what I thought :-) So, we just provide a regular email address (not a kindle email, for example), and the rest just works out between the givers and receivers, right? Sorry for all the questions!

finecat wrote: "Heather - Lol, that's what I thought :-) So, we just provide a regular email address (not a kindle email, for example), and the rest just works out between the givers and receivers, right? Sorry fo..."

Yup! Just a regular email. It is actually best if you sign up (through whatever log in) at All Romance Ebooks, and then it is really easy to gift through there using email. Or i think you can gift to any email through Amazon.

Ok, so how do we add the books to our wishlist? We copy the link to the book and paste it to elfster? And it doesn't matter which website it's from? Do I have all that right?

I've never done anything like this before, what's the basics? how do we find who to buy for and how much do we spend ie one book/two/extras?
Is it generally ebooks or physical gifts?

Thanks Heather! :-)))

Ok, so I found the super duper special elfster button that goes on my bookmarks! that is just awesome. Just push that sucker when I see a book I want, and tada! it goes on my wishlist. Very cool. :D

Alicia wrote: "Ok, so I found the super duper special elfster button that goes on my bookmarks! that is just awesome. Just push that sucker when I see a book I want, and tada! it goes on my wishlist. Very cool. :D"

Oh fun!

@finecat, I never listed my mailing address, only want ebooks anyway so no need as far as I'm concerned.

@ ~ Lei ~ Thanks for the info :)

I've just signed up. Hope my registration got through. Thanks :D

Kynthos-the-Archer wrote: "I've just signed up. Hope my registration got through. Thanks :D"

Yeah? I was already following you. :s

Heather are gifts only ebooks? Because I don't have an ereader and I like physical books.

Etnik wrote: "Heather are gifts only ebooks? Because I don't have an ereader and I like physical books."

Nope, you can ask for whatever you want, but if you want a physical book then you need to provide an address!

Etnik wrote: "Heather are gifts only ebooks? Because I don't have an ereader and I like physical books."

And probably make sure to make mention of it - see what I did on elfster: http://www.elfster.com/profile/view/

~Lei ~ Reading Is An Adventure ~ wrote: "Etnik wrote: "Heather are gifts only ebooks? Because I don't have an ereader and I like physical books."

And probably make sure to make mention of it - see what I did on elfster: http://www.elfst..."

That link just brings people to their own profiles!

I just meant to show that I said that I preferred mobi/prc so Etnik could state she preferred physical books.

~Lei ~ Reading Is An Adventure ~ wrote: "I just meant to show that I said that I preferred mobi/prc so Etnik could state she preferred physical books."

Yeah, but what I'm saying is that when I click on the link I see my OWN profile, not yours. I can't see what you said you preferred. :)

oh, lol. http://www.elfster.com/profile/view/6...

if that doesn't work - this is what it says:

MM+ / MMF Dirty, sexy reads.Prefer Amazon but some might not be available at Amazon (censoring bastids!). I prefer mobi/prc but do have Calibre and can convert so have purchased from Kobo, Torquere, Dreamspinner, Smashwords etc.

Last year, MMF was first but MM has beaten that out.

~Lei ~ Reading Is An Adventure ~ wrote: "oh, lol. http://www.elfster.com/profile/view/6...

if that doesn't work - this is what it says:

MM+ / MMF Dirty, sexy reads.Prefer Amazon but some might not be available at Amazon (censoring ..."

That link worked!

You may have already answered this - if so I'm sorry - but do we just pick someone to give a gift to from their elfster wish list or do you pair us up with someone? Thanks Heather

You may have already answered this - if so I'm sorry - but do we just pick someone to give a gift to from their elfster wish list or do you pair us up with someone? Thanks Heather

Krista wrote: "You may have already answered this - if so I'm sorry - but do we just pick someone to give a gift to from their elfster wish list or do you pair us up with someone? Thanks Heather"

You will get matched up randomly on the assigned date (I think it is December 1st). It will tell you on elfster who you got matched up with!

Hi Heather, not sure if someone already asked this one, but can we buy our partner more than one book if we stay within the cost limit?

Alicia wrote: "Hi Heather, not sure if someone already asked this one, but can we buy our partner more than one book if we stay within the cost limit?"

Oh yeah. Last year, people bought 3-4 books or more, if the prices were right. I bought a ton because I found some good sales.

Is there a cost limit? How many books should we have listed on elf?

Victoria wrote: "Is there a cost limit? How many books should we have listed on elf?"

There is. It is $15. I put a lot of books on my Elfster wish list so people could shop around and find deals. Last year, ARe had a great sale in the beginning of December and lots of people bought for their Secret Santa then.

I also don't mind surprise gifts so I told people to look through my to-read shelf on GRs.

Oh yeah I often find really good deals at ARe and amazon too.

The ARE deal was great - I got enough rebates between the Exchange and books for me to buy a couple more books.

Wart wrote: "Why does it need my gender?!"

What needs your gender? Elfster?

I don't remember putting my gender anywhere...

Wart wrote: "It wouldn't let me join if I didn't select a gender.

Oh well"

Elfster wouldn't let you? That's so strange! I would sent them an email.

Wart wrote: "I'm having some trouble with the finding stuff. Like. I just want to browse m/m and queer romance, but I'm not sure what to search to get a good selection to look over!"

I just entered books that I wanted from my to-read list and then clicked on them. I don't know if elfster is a great site for browsing. Or are you talking about ARe?

I didn't read the entire thread, bc lazy, but Elfster has a thing you can add to your Chrome bar at the top that let's you "elf it", meaning you can be on GR, find a book, click that button and it automatically adds it to your Elfster wishlist.

Wart wrote: "It wouldn't let me join if I didn't select a gender.

Oh well"

I think the gender thing is so that they can make other gift recommendations for you. Which sometimes makes sense, I mean I like a nice perfume but men's cologne not so much, still they should give you the option of whether you want to provide that info or not, I mean really if someone's buying me a gift and they don't know my gender. I'm thinking they don't know me well enough to buy me a gift, just a thought.

I have a GR elfster wishlist, went through my tbr and added elfster tag, then followed it for elfster wishlist.

You can check my shelves to see what I did.